Never Again
by kitty132383
Summary: Cana and Gildarts. Daughter and Father. Guildmates. This is their story, from the very beginning to her confession, and anything and everything in between. Family fic.


**A/N: I absolutely loved the scene where Cana told Gildarts he was her father, so I was inspired to make a fic about it. It's mostly just the flashback told with a bit more perception. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail**

* * *

Gildarts could still remember the first time he saw her. She had been standing outside his guild, looking a bit lost and holding the leash of a small puppy. She really was an adorable little thing back then, with slightly wavy chestnut hair and large doe-like gray eyes. He could tell she would be a real beauty in time. She had stared up at him, and beamed with a smile that lit up her whole face. Blinking in surprise, because he never had someone smile at him like that barring _her_, he started talking again to chase away his past. Vaguely, in the back of his head, he wondered where the girl's parents were. Even with the famous Fairy Tail Guild around, it wasn't safe to keep children running around without any supervision. So he told her to go back home, and then turned and left on yet another quest. But he couldn't forget the shocked and heartbroken look he had glimpsed on her once cheery face as he was leaving. He wondered if he had caused that, but he had other things to worry about, so all thoughts of the adorable girl was chased from his head.

_Cana stared up at the giant of a building. At her age, just about everything towered above her, so she wasn't really bothered by the height, but it was the anticipation of finally meeting her father that had butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She wondered if she was allowed to just walk in, so for a couple of minutes, she simply stood there outside the large door. Suddenly, she heard the sound of footsteps coming her way and she stared up into the face of a stranger. Only… it wasn't a stranger. She didn't know how, but somewhere in the depths of her heart, she knew this was the man. And as he sent a charming smirk down her way, a happy smile lifted onto her face. But then, he talked to her as if he didn't know her. _'It's me'_, she wanted to scream, _'I'm your daughter! Don't you know who I am? _But she was too shocked for words, and just watched as his back faded into the distance. _

* * *

The next time he saw her was two months later, after he finished his quest. He had been talking to the master when Macao and Wakaba had walked up to him, proclaiming that there was someone he needed to meet. Sweeping his eyes across the room, he was a bit confused until he heard a tiny voice at his feet. Glancing down, he was met with the large eyes of a small girl. He thought that he should know her from somewhere but… her face just wasn't ringing any bells. As the Master introduced her as a recruit (_who the hell thought it was a good idea to recruit such a little girl?)_ and that her name was Cana, her face finally clicked. It was the little girl he had seen at the entrance before he left for his mission! But her face, which was so happy before, now held hesitation and a tiny bit of fear and he once again wondered why she had been so upset that day. As he continued to talk, he noted how her expression became beaming once more, and then disappointment, and finally sadness. Then he saw determination fall on her face again, and she opened her mouth to speak. But Master cut in, and he followed him upstairs because a mission was more important. He would have more time to talk to her later, after all. He could feel her eyes on his back, and wondered just what was so important that she looked so urgent.

_Cana stared, amazed, as the city split. She had been the charity case of Fairy Tail for a while now, as she waited for her father to return home. She would definitely tell him, and then he would hold her tight and tuck her in at night. And then everything would be okay again. As she heard Wakaba announcing that he was coming back, her excitement level spiked. She just needed to go up to him and tell him! The two older men led her to him, and he towered over her just as before. Lifting her face up, their eyes met and she saw confusion in his before it was overtaken with recognition. Did he finally realize who she was, she wondered. But then she grasped that he only remembered her from two months ago, at the entrance and the disappointment overtook her again. '_I have to tell him!' _she knew she had to act soon or else—_

_And then he was gone again. But Cana was patient. She would wait for him as long as it took. _

_So she waited._

_And waited._

_And kept waiting. _

* * *

Gildarts walked back into Fairy Tail, his home. He hung around for a bit, joking with some of his guild mates before going over to the Master to get another mission. As he was about to walk out, he noticed a head of chestnut brown hair just ahead of him. The little girl he remember meeting was now past his waist. Her hair was longer, and in a ponytail, and he could see her face start to lose her baby fat. Her eyes widened when she saw him, mouth opening to say what she couldn't say last time, but he was going to be late for his train! Deep inside himself, he wondered what the disappointed feeling was. It wasn't like he knew her that well, but maybe he thought what she was going to say to him was important. Briefly, he called a goodbye over his shoulder and barely slipped through the doors of the train before it closed.

_Cana wandered around the guild, bored. It had been months since she had seen her father, and waiting here was getting a little tiresome. Especially since she couldn't do any magic. Coming to the guild had already become part of her daily routine, along with working some odd jobs to make money. She had actually got a pretty good place, nice and cheap, so she could stay there until she told her father about herself and moved in with him. She was so lost in her thoughts that when a familiar voice called her name, she didn't react that much. Her body had automatically turned towards the speaker, and her eyes widened when she realized her father was standing nearby! He took in her features and grinned at her, telling her that she had grown. Cana knew it was now or never. She _had _to tell him! The words had just been building up inside her with increasing intensity and it wanted to burst out of her. But again, as she had his attention on her, he was one just as quickly for a train and she was left standing there alone, again. _

* * *

The mission wasn't that hard… it was the travelling that took the longest. But even then, he was the strongest person in the guild, he knew, and there were some missions only he could do. Occasionally, in his brief trips back, he caught the glimpse of large, gray eyes or the flash of brown hair, but that was pretty much it.

_She was constantly watching the doors, even though she knew that he took long missions. It was getting to be too much. One day, she passed an old lady on the street who was telling fortunes. She had asked when her father would be back. The lady told her he would be back in two days. So, she waited by the doors two days later. The old lady was wrong, he didn't come. The city didn't split like it always did when he returned home. But, Cana thought that maybe if she did it, if she kept practicing and practicing, she would eventually be able to predict when he came home. And then she would… she didn't know what to do anymore! Once, she had asked why the city splits when Gildarts came, and they had told her it was because he was the strongest person in the guild and he might accidently destroy something. At first she had been amazed but then she thought what if he doesn't want me as his daughter? She didn't know what to do, and fortune telling had become her lifeline so she kept practicing. The Master had told her to believe in herself, in her heart, and in her power to do magic. It was her new goal, from then. If her father was powerful, she would become powerful too! And then he would pat her head and say he was proud of her and everything would be okay. _

* * *

He was only back in very short times. When he did, everyone crowded him so he took the time to play with them and laugh along. The only one who didn't join in was Cana, who simply watched from a distance. He had heard from Wakaba and Macao how she had started joining them in missions and how she had learned Card Magic. They said she was getting powerful already and was on their level. She had even gotten nominated for the S-Class Wizard Exams! Gildarts was pretty impressed. Normally civilians couldn't access magic, and when they did, it was low-powered ones. He glanced at her, her face so solemn like it always was the last few times he visited. She caught his eye for a moment, and then immediately glanced away. Gildarts was slightly concerned by that. Did he do something to make her hate him? He never got the chance the talk to her… the guild was big and everyone wanted to hear of his adventures, especially young Natsu. So he left. His back felt strangely empty even though everyone was watching him leave. And he realized there was one person missing. As he reached the entrance, he told her to do her best. The smile she gave him glowed on her face, much like the first time they met, and she agreed.

_Cana was shocked. She was nominated for the S-class wizard exams! She would pass… and then be on the same level as her father! She would definitely tell him after she became S-Class. Then they would be equals and she could quell the fear in her heart. As he was leaving, he told her to do her best. Cana didn't know how to describe the happiness that overflowed into her at that moment. All she knew was there was no way she was going to lose!_

* * *

Gildarts glanced at the girl huddled back in a corner of the guild. He had heard about how she lost in the exam, and Laxus had become the newest S-Class member. He could see the loathing on her face, and the disappointment. He hoped she wouldn't be too hard on herself.

_After everything she did… she lost in battle. Damn it! How could she lose like that? Everything she worked for, everything she had hoped for went crashing down at her feet. _

_The next one came around. She lost that one too. And the next one after that, and the next one after that, and the next one after that one. Cana was starting to despair. Maybe she shouldn't be here in Fairy Tail. Maybe she shouldn't even tell her father who she was! She couldn't stand to see the disappointed look on his face when she told him. How he had a failure of a daughter…_

_She starting drinking. They cautioned her against it, but they didn't know how she felt! It didn't matter anyways… no matter how much of that liquid she consumed, she would never get drunk. They marvelled at that talent, while she cursed it. _

_She couldn't take it anymore! She was going to leave the guild. _

* * *

Gildarts heard someone call his name while he was fishing with Natsu. It was the new girl, Lucy, and she was walking with Cana. She had really grown into a beautiful woman, like he had guessed when he first saw her. But, as he took a closer look, he suddenly realized her face and her hair was so similar to _hers_. So he asks her what's wrong, because he remembers when she was younger, how she kept trying to tell him something. They were finally alone (except for Natsu, Lucy, and Happy in the bushes) so she had nothing to be afraid of. Cana was struggling to get the words out. It was becoming harder and harder over time to tell him, so she decided to just explain how she came to Fairy Tail.

"The reason I came to the guild was to search for my father… you know?" She asked him, looking down.

"That's the first time I've heard it." He replied back. Gildarts was immediately curious. Maybe he knew him? Was that what she wanted to ask him? He _had _been in the guild for a long time after all. "So, you're saying you dad was in Fairy Tail?" She made a noncommittal sound of agreement.

He wondered why it was so hard to ask. Did she hate him like he suspected?

"It's you, Gildarts."

Gildarts blinked, his mind lagging behind. _'I think she just told me who her father was…' _His brain finally processed what she said and he completely freaked out. He was glad he was sitting down, or else he might've fallen down and that wouldn't have looked good. His body was completely frozen in shock. _'I have a daughter I have a daughter I have a daughter I have a freaking daughter!'_ His mouth was gaping, wondering just who was the mother.

She glanced down awkwardly, mentioning how she was never able to tell him. Gildarts was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that _he had a daughter who was right in front of him_! He started frantically listing names of all the girlfriends he had, his brain muddled and confused. Meanwhile, Cana's eyebrow was twitching in irritation. She was being serious here and he was acting like an idiot! Did that mean he had any other children then? Huffing in anger, she yelled she was leaving and starting storming away.

Gildarts heard the sound of footsteps. "Wait!" he yelled.

The beautiful brunette turned to face him, face scrunched up in fury and suddenly, he knew. Maybe he always knew, deep down inside. He wondered how he had missed something so big. Lunging to his feet, he wrapped _his daughter _in his arms for the first time. Cana froze in shock. She had been saying they didn't have to be a family… but this was nice. She felt warm, safe, and protected.

Gildarts knew she was Corneilia's child. Their child. She was the only one he had ever loved in the end, after all. He asked her why she kept quiet, tightening his grip on her. Loathing rose up into himself when he thought of all the missed opportunities to get to know her, and to spoil her silly. And here she was, independent and all grown up. She must've been lonely, he realized mournfully. She pushed away from him, and smiled slightly.

"I'm glad I got to meet you, Father."

The look on her face was exactly the same as it was 12 years ago. His memories… were flying past him, and he realized he remembered every single moment with her. His subconsiousness had knew and kept these moments clear, waiting for the moment when he would find out. As tears spilled over his eyes, he called her name, holding her tightly to his body, silently asking for forgiveness. He could feel her warm tears on his clothes, and she clutched his arm.

Cana knew this wasn't the perfect confession. He wouldn't be able to tuck her in and read her stories at night, or ride on his back, but this was enough for her. This was just right, somehow.

Gildarts didn't know he could feel so much love and happiness inside him since Cornelia left him. He vowed, he would never let her feel lonely again. Never again.

* * *

**So, what did you think? Love it, hate it?**


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